Printing type holder



1967 w. H. DOUGLASS, SR 3,358,599

PRINTING TYPE HOLDER Filed April 1, 1965 INVENTOR. WALTER H. DOUGLASS,SR

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,358,599 PRINTING TYPE HOLDER Walter H. Douglass, Sr., Oreland, Pa., assignor to American Components Inc., Conshohocken, Pa., :1 corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 444,725 4 Claims. (Cl. 101-394) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present device provides a type holder which permits the pieces of type to be inserted through the holder so that the faces can be directly aligned on a fixed surface and further provides means to secure the pieces of type in aligned position.

This invention relates to printing-type holding devices and more particularly to a printing-type holding device to be used with a machine that marks, or prints, on relatively small objects such as electrical components, pieces of candy, vitamin pills, etc.

During the operation of printing indicia on small objects, the type slugs must be constrained from coming into violent contact with the objects, lest the objects will be damaged. Hence the popular procedure is to use a transfer printing technique, i.e., the printed indicia is first printed on a flexible roller member and is transferred from the roller to the object.

If a transfer printing operation is to be acceptable, the type must be aligned so that the faces of the type slugs are flush, or disposed in the same plane, with each other. If the type pieces are not aligned in the same plane, the high pieces of type will provide a smeared transfer while the low pieces of type may not transfer the indicia at all.

In addition, as is obvious, the pieces of type must be secured in their respective positions in the type holder lest they will move in response to the pressures of the printing impact.

Heretofore, the pieces of type have been aligned from the back ends, i.e., they have been placed in a type holder with the faces positioned outward from the plane upon which the type is resting. Such an arrangement may prove to be satisfactory if all the type is exactly the same size, but in actual practice it has been found that the type is no always the same size and hence there results a high and low printing pattern (i.e., smeared and light printing).

Another problem which has arisen in the practice of printing on small objects, such as electrical components, is that of changing, or removing, limited portions of the type. Since the batches are relatively small in printing activity of the nature just described, there is a need for many changes of some of the type. For instance in printing resistor values on resistor elements, the batches of resistors of any one given resistance value may be relatively small, but the voltage rating and the manufacturers name would remain constant through many, many batches. Hence, there is a need to change at least one line of type, that which represents the resistance value) in a three or four line pattern, many, many times.

In the prior art, the type pieces used in small batch printing techniques have been held securely in the holder by virtue of set screws mounted on the side of the holder and moved inwardly against the sides of the type pieces. The screws, of course, operate very often to bend the slugs which are normally made of soft lead, thereby making it quite difficult, if not impossible, to mount the type faces in the same plane. This last-mentioned problem has been overcome to some extent by making the type 3,358,599 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 pieces out of brass, but the price paid in that solution is the requirement of more expensive type pieces.

The present invention offers a type holder which enables the faces to be mounted in the same plane irrespective of their lengths and offers a means for securing the type without distorting the type pieces, whether or not the type pieces are fabricated from a soft metal, such as soft lead.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved type chase or type holder.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a type holder device in which the type can be readily mounted with the type faces disposed in the same plane.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a type holder in which the type pieces can be firmly secured without distorting such pieces.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a type holder which can have some type pieces readily removed without disturbing the remaining type pieces.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, there is provided a type holder which is mounted in an alignment housing which has a flat surface facing the type holder and the type pieces are inserted into the type holder face end first so that the faces of the type come to rest on the flat surface of the housing.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention each row position has its own clamping means so that the rows of type can be removed individually.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention each clamping means, last mentioned, comprises a slidable block whose surface of contact with the type is virtually the same length or depth, as the type so that the pressure necessary to hold the type is exerted along substantially the entire length, or depth, of the type rather than at one small area or position of the type.

The foregoing and other objects and features of this invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an assembly drawing of the type holder;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 depicts the type holder being held by the type setup gauge with the type therein being aligned by the gauge;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the type clamp.

Consider FIGURE 1 which is an assembly drawing of the type holder of the present invention without any type pieces being held therein. In FIGURE 1 there are two side pieces 11 and 13. The side pieces 11 and 13 serve to provide the main portions of the type holder assembly. Each of the side pieces 11 and 13 has four non-threaded holes drilled therein which serve the purpose of allowing bolts to be passed therethrough in order to clamp together the rest of the assembly in a sandwichlike fashion. This arrangement can be better appreciated by examining FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 2 the side pieces 11 and Bare shown with the holes depicted in phantom. The bolt 15 passes through the end piece 11, through the spacer 17, through the shim 19, through the clamp spacer 22, through the shim 23, through the clamp spacer 20, through the shim 27, spacer 29, and through the other end piece 13. The nut 31 is secured, or screwed on, to the end of the bolt 15 when the assembly is put together.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2, the end pieces 11 and 13 have recessed portions to enable the bolt head to be seated within the end piece and to enable the nut to be seated within the end piece so that (as will become better appreciated hereinafter), as the assembly is set into the 3 type setup gauge 61 (FIGURE 3) it easily and positively goes to its resting position on the ledges 33 and 35.

In a similar manner, the bolt 18 passes through the end piece 13, through the clamp spacer 26, through the shim 27, through the spacer 39, through the shim 23, through the spacer 41, through the shim 19, and through the clamp spacer 24, on through the end piece 11. The nut 45 is secured to, or screwed on to, the bolt 18 when the assembly is put together. 7

There are two holes similar to holes 14 and 16 in each of the end pieces directly below the holes 14 and 16 shown in FIGURE 2 with the bolt head recess being under the nut position 31 and the nut recess position being under the bolt position 18 with respect to the end piece 13. A similar arrangement exists with respect to the end piece 11. By virtue of the four bolts, the type holder is permanently held together for its purpose of holding the type.

The spacers 29, 17, 41 and 39 as well as the clamp spacers 2t), 22, 24 and 26 each have two holes therein which are barely large enough to accommodate the bolts which pass therethrough and therefore the spacers and clamp spacers are securely fastened and positioned once the assembly has been put together. In a similar fashion the shims 19, 23 and 27 each have four holes, which holes are barely large enough to accommodate the bolts. These shims are securely fastened in position once the assembly has been put together.

However, as can be seen from FIGURE 4, the clamp devices 21, 25, 37 and 43 have large cutouts 44 which enable them to move to the right and left (as viewed from FIGURE 2) over the clamp spacers because the clamp spacers are not as long as the cutout as indicated by the dashed line 28 of the clamp spacer (shown in dashed line). It will also be noted from FIGURE 2 that the clamp spacers are somewhat wider than the clamps thereby providing a space between the clamps and the end pieces for freedom of movement. Accordingly, then the clamp 43 can be moved to the right to allow type to be inserted into the space 46 while the clamps 21 and can be moved to the left to allow type to be inserted into the spaces 47 and 49. Finally, the clamp 37 can be moved to the right to allow type pieces to be inserted into the space 51. Once type has been inserted into the space 46, the type is pushed to the left by clamp 43 until it comes to rest against the spacer 17. To effect this securing operation, the screw 53 is screwed into a threaded hole in the end piece 11 thereby moving the clamp 43 against the type and securely positioning the type between the spacer 17 and the clamp 43. Since the clamp 43 is almost as long as the type, and since the spacers are almost as long as the type, the pressure on a type piece is along a substantial portion of its length rather than some small portion, as would be true if a set screw were holding the type in the holder.

The length of clamp 43 (as considered from right to left in FIGURE 2) is designed for the greatest amount of type that might be used. If less type is to be used spacers are inserted in the space 46 on either side of the type pieces so that when the screw 53 is screwed into the end piece the clamp 43 abuts the type before it abuts the side piece 11 thereby causing the clamp to be held solidly at the same time that the type pieces are secured.

Without further explanation, it becomes clear that the type pieces are secured in space 47 by screwing the clamp 21 into the end piece 11 and the type in space 49 are secured by screwing the clamp 25 into the end piece 13. Finally the type in space 51 are secured by screwing the clamp 37 into the end piece 13.

Let us now examine FIGURE 3 which shows the type holder assembled with type therein and mounted in a type setup gauge 61. The end pieces 11 and 13 along with the clamps 21 and 25 and the screws 57 and 59 are shown in their relative positions as they were in FIGURE 2. In

addition there are shown fourpieces of type 63, 65, 67

and 69. Actually, these pieces of type represent small rows of type and are only the end pieces thereof. The

type 63, 65, 67 and 69 are set into the type holder and pass on through to have their faces 71 come in contact with the surface 73 of the type gauge setup device 61. The surface 73 is a carefully machined straight surface so that the type faces come to rest evenly or in the same plane. If the other ends of the type are uneven, it makes no difference because the faces will remain in the same plane since the type is secured by the clamp arrangement as previously described. In accordance with this arrangement, there is an assurance that the type faces will be in the same plane and hence there will be a good and desirable printing operation to follow. The type holder is so designed that there is clearance between the holder and the setup gauge 61 so that the holder can readily be removed and inserted.

As can also be gleaned from examining FIGURE 3 in view of the previous description, if the type in the row represented by the type piece 63 were to be removed, the clamp 43 shown in FIGURE 2 would simply be loosened and the type pieces could be removed. However, during this removal of the type pieces from the row represented by type 63, the remainder of the type would remain secure and undisturbed. In this way, rows of type can be readily changed without disturbing the whole pattern makeup.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A type holder assembly comprising in combination:

(a) first and second end pieces;

'(b) a plurality of L-shaped clamp pieces disposed to have the long sections thereof lying parallel with said end pieces so that each top edge of the L comes in contact with associated type placed in said holder and disposed to have the short sections of each L overlap said end pieces;

(0) a plurality of spacers, each of which is associated with a different one of said L-shaped clamp pieces, each of said spacers being as wide as its associated L-shaped clamp;

(d) bolting means mounted with said first and second end pieces to hold each of said L-shaped clamp pieces with its associated spacer in between said first and second end pieces so that an aperture between each L shaped clamp and its associated spacer is defined' wherein type is held;

(e) fastening means mounted through said short sections of said L-shaped clamp pieces into said end pieces to hold said L-shaped clamp pieces against said type such that each of said L-shaped clamp pieces exerts a pressure against the type in the aperture it defines with its associated spacer, thereby holding said type securely in said housing.

2. A type holder assembly comprising in combination:

(a) housing means having at least one aperture passing therethrough, said aperture formed so that type can be inserted therein and protrude beyond either or both edges thereof;

(b) spacer means mounted to be movable, for location, perpendicular to the side walls of said aperture and formed to have an edge lying toward the center of said aperture, said edge being at least one half as long as a piece of type located in said aperture;

(c) clamping means having a section with a leading edge protruding into said aperture opposite said spacer means, said clamping means slidably mounted to have said section slide into and out of said aperture respectively toward and away from said spacer means, said clamping means further'formed to have an integral member transversely disposed to the sliding movement thereof; and

(d) fastening means mounted with said integral membet and said housing means to hold the leading edge of said clamping means against type located in said aperture.

3. A type holder according to claim 2 wherein there is further included guide means secured to said housing means within said aperture and wherein said clamping means is formed to fit over said guide means with sufficient space remaining to permit said slidable movement of said clamping means over said guide means.

4. A type holder according to claim 2 wherein there is further included type set-up gauge means having a flat surface upon which to position the face of said type when said type are inserted through said aperture, said set-up gauge means being formed to hold the printing end of said housing means away from said flat surface thereby permitting type to be placed in said housing means with their faces against said flat surface of said set-up gauge means, thus enabling the type inserted through said aperture of said housing means to have their faces in the same plane irrespective of the length of said type.

References ited UNITED STATES PATENTS 493,848 3/1893 Wesel 10l394 669,629 3/1901 Frank 10l381 704,189 7/ 1902 Hendershott 10l--381 1,016,605 2/1912 Bechman 101394 1,034,839 8/1912 Saltzman 101401.3 X 1,062,283 5/1913 Kohnle 101381 1,590,566 6/1926 Eberhard 101-4013 2,037,833 4/1936 Swenson 101401.3 2,720,829 10/ 1955 Berggren. 3,122,095 2/1964 Miller 101-381 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

20 H. P. EWELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TYPE HOLDER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) FIRST AND SECOND END PIECES; (B) A PLURALITY OF L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES DISPOSED TO HAVE THE LONG SECTIONS THEREOF LYING PARALLEL WITH SAID END PIECES SO THAT EACH TOP EDGE OF THE "L" COMES IN CONTACT WITH ASSOCIATED TYPE PLACED IN SAID HOLDER AND DISPOSED TO HAVE THE SHORT SECTIONS OF EACH "L" OVERLAP SAID END PIECES; (C) A PLURALITY OF SPACERS, EACH OF WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES, EACH OF SAID SPACERS BEING AS WIDE AS ITS ASSOCIATED L-SHAPED CLAMP; (D) BOLTING MEANS MOUNTED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PIECES TO HOLD EACH OF SAID L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES WITH ITS ASSOCIATED SPACER IN BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PIECES SO THAT AN APERTURE BETWEEN EACH LSHAPED CLAMP AND ITS ASSOCIATED SPACER IS DEFINED WHEREIN TYPE IS HELD; (E) FASTENING MEANS MOUNTED THROUGH SAID SHORT SECTIONS OF SAID L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES INTO SAID END PIECES TO HOLD SAID L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES AGAINST SAID TYPE SUCH THAT EACH OF SAID L-SHAPED CLAMP PIECES EXERTS A PRESSURE AGAINST THE TYPE IN THE APERTURE IT DEFINES WITH ITS ASSOCIATED SPACER, THEREBY HOLDING SAID TYPE SECURELY IN SAID HOUSING. 